Points-based system best way to manage UK immigration says Denham

Communities Secretary John Denham has insisted that the UK points-based system is the best way of managing UK immigration, rather than annual caps to restrict immigration.

The UK immigration points-based system is the best way of managing migration and skills into the UK, the Communities Secretary said.

David Cameron has announced that a Conservative government would limit net UK immigration to the “tens of thousands” per annum to halt the population reaching 70 million by 2028, and the associated strain on public services.

Communities Secretary John Denham has said that annual caps to restrict immigration are unnecessary and could have negative effects like preventing key individuals like international surgeons, doctors, researchers or business leaders from coming to the UK if they were the "first person after the cap".

"We have got tight immigration control - the points-based system that is now in place means that people can only come here if what they are going to give to this country is something we need," Mr Denham told Sky News Sunday Live.

Mr Cameron has not stated the exact number of Conservatives' proposed cap on immigration, but made clear it would be dramatically lower than present levels.

UK Net immigration, the number of people migrating to Britain over and above those emigrating, reached 237,000 in 2007 before declining due to the recession to 163,000 in 2008.